The wonderful thing about salad recipes is that they are as easy or complex as you wish to make them. The term, salad, is most often used to describe a bowl of greens (lettuce, spinach, watercress), topped with a liquid or creamy dressing along with other vegetables such as tomato, green pepper, onions, radishes, and sprouts.

This dish can be served as a first course of a large meal, as a light repast between meals, or can be turned into an entire meal with addition of cheeses, boiled eggs, and cold meats.

A salad recipe can also be based on starches like potatoes or macaroni in a mayonnaise base. Potato and macaroni salads are more often side dishes rather than first courses and accompany informal meals, lunches, and picnics. They are especially popular in the summertime, when cold foods are preferred.